Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 686,585. Patented Nov. I2, 1901.

' T. A. BRYAN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Apr. 3, 1901.)

2 Sheets- Sheet I.

(No Model.)

q v/lll/rllvl lll m layer/ 02? 0T0 L ma. WASHINCYQ No. 686,585. PatentedNov. l2, l90l.

' T. A. BRYAN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Applicationflled Apr. 3, 1901.)

2 Sheets$heet 2.

(N0 Model.)

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. BRYAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

\ SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 686,585, datedNovember 12, 1901.

Application filed April 3, 1901 I Serial No. 54,203. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. BRYAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have in- Ventednew and useful Improvements in Generating Apparatus for Acetylene-GasLamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements ingenerating apparatus IQ for acetylene-gas lamps in the use of whichquantities of carbid are intermittently discharged into the water of agenerating-chamber in amounts and at intervals determined by theconsumption of the gas at the burner. In the construction adopted hereinI employ the positive or forced-feed apparatus forming thesubject-matter of a separate application for patent, Serial No. 52,985,filed March 26, 1901; and the invention consists in the combination,with such apparatus, of a novel arrangement of mechanism actuated by thepressure of the gas for automatically preventing the feed of carbid andfor closing communication between the generating 2 5 chamber and thecarbid-feed to prevent accidental access of water to the carbid and ofmechanism actuated by the valve-plug of the burner when turning off thegas to positively lock the feed apparatus in an inoperative 0 position,so that carbid cannot fall therefrom, and at the same time to closecommuni cation between the carbid-feed and the generating-chamber forthe purpose just mentioned.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have illustratedthe same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a View,partly in section and partly in elevation, of a lamp constructed ac- 4ocording to my invention. Fig. 2 is a section through the'casinginclosing and supporting the generating apparatus. Fig. 3 is a similarview taken at right'angles to that of Fig. 2. Fig. {i is a detailsectional view illustrating the locked position of the feed apparatus.Fig; 5 is a similar view' illustrating the position'of the parts whenthe weighted 'arm operating the feed apparatus has fallen to a positionbelow the normal, and Fig. 6 is seetional view illustrating a modifiedconstruction of the means for closing the casing of" the feed apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a lamp-body of any preferreddesign, the interior of which affords a gas-tight generatingchamber.Access to such chamber is had through the medium of a screw-cappedfilling-spout 2 for supplying water to the gen-.

crating-chamber and a similar spout 3 for removing refuse therefrom. Inthe top of the lamp-body is removably secured in any suitable gas-tightmanner, as by screwing therein, a semispherical metal casing 4, whichsupports and incloses the various parts comprising the generatingapparatus, the construction, arrangement, and operation of which willnow be described.

5 indicates a carbid-receptacle secured to the interior of the casing inany suitable manner, as by soldering, and closed by means of ascrew-plug 6. The lower end of this receptacle terminates in a spout 7,and on this spout is mounted the feed apparatus comprising the chute 8,curved plate 9, having lip 10, weighted apron ll, arm 12, havingshoulder 13, stud 14, projection 15, and weighted arm 16, all asdescribed in my pending application, and the construction and operationof which parts will not be recited herein in detail, except in so far asmay be necessary to describe the operation of the apparatus. The feedapparatus proper, comprising the parts just named, is inclosedin ahousing 17, I

which also incloses the spout 7 and is soldered or otherwise secured tothe lower portion of the receptacle 5. The housing 17 has depending fromit an open-ended tube 18 for guiding the carbid in its fall.

19 indicates a rod which is pivotally connected at one end to theweighted rod 16, adjacent to its point of connection with the chute 8,as indicated at 20, and at its other end to the apex of a cone-shapedplug 21, as

indicated at 22. Extending from side to side of the casing 17 andjournaled therein is a shaft 23, having one end projecting through asuitable stuffing-box.

On this projecting end of the shaft is secured a crank 24, to the outerend of which is pivotally connected one' end of a rod 25. The oppositeend of the rod 25 is suitably secured to the center of a flexiblediaphragm 26, of rubber, leather, or other suitable material. Thediaphragm 26 is secured in a gas-tight manner aroundits edge to anannular abutment 27, formed on the interior of the casing 4, by means ofscrews 28 and a clamping-ring 29. Any preferred means of securing thisdiaphragm in position, however, may be employed. Secured to the shaft 23intermediate its ends is a lever-arm 30, which is normally in engagementwith the under side of the weighted arm '16 and is adapted to be turnedby the shaft 23 to lift said weighted arm.

31 indicates a valve-casing mounted on the top of the casing 4 andcommunicating by means of a passage 32, extending through it, with theinterior of said casing. Mounted in the valve-casing 31 is a valve 33,having a transverse passage 34 and a key 35 for turning it. By turningthis Valve the passage 34 may be brought into and turned out ofengagement with the passage 32 to open and close communication,respectively, from the interior of the casing 4 through said last-namedpassage, as will be understood. The top of the valve-casing 31 issuitably formedsay screw-threadedas at 35, to receive a gas-tip36,adapted for burning acetylene gas,and supports holders 37 forashade38. Secured atone end to the valveplug 33 and extending at right anglesthereto is a short crank-arm 39, to the outer end of which is securedone end of a rod 40. The rod 40 is provided intermediate its ends with alink connection 41, and after passing through a stuffing-box 42 in thetop of the casing 7 is enlarged at its lower end and provided with anelongated slot 43, through which the weighted arm 16 extends. Thevalve-casing 31 is provided with a recess 44 in its lower portion topermit of the movement of the crank-arm 39 as the valve-plug is turned.Au air-vent 45 is provided in the wall of easing 4 in the space inclosedby the diaphragm 26.

The operation is as follows: The valve-plug 33 is first turned to closecommunication from the generator to the burner. As the Valveplug is soturned the bottom of the slot 43 will engage the under side of theweighted arm 16 and raise said arm, and thereby the forward or feed sideof the chute 8, so that said chute will occupy snbstantiallyahorizon talposition,and the apron 11 will rest against the forward edge of thechute, and the possibility of any carbid falling from the chute bethereby prevented. The screw-plug 6 is now removed and the receptacle 5filled with carbid, which will fall down upon and be supported by theplate 9 and the portion of the bottom of the chute 8 projecting beyondthe forward edge of said plate. The plug 6 is replaced and the valveplug33 turned to open communication through the passage 34 in saidvalve-plug and the passage 32 from the generator to the burner. In thismovement of the valve-plug the rod 40 will be pressed down bythecrankarm 39, carrying the bottom of the slot 43 away from theweighted arm 16 and allowing said arm to fall. As said arm falls the theforward side of the chute 8 is carried downward, the shoulder 13engaging the stud 14 to stop the fall of the apron 11 and provide aspace between said apron and the front edge of the bottom of the chutefor the fall of the carbid therethrough. As said forward edge of thechute is in this movement carried toward the lip 10 the carbid on thebottom of the chute between said lip and the apron 11 will accordinglybe crowded or forced off and will fall through the tube 18 into thewater in the generator or lamp-body 1. As gas is generated the pressurethereof will force the diaphragm 26 outward, which movement of thediaphragm through the medium of the rod 25 and crank 24 will turn thelever-arm upward, and thereby raise the weighted arm 16, and with it thechute, and stop the feed of the carbid. As the gas is consumed at theburner the pressure is removed gradually from the diaphragm, which willpermit the weighted arm 16 to fall, turning the lever-arm 3O downwardand causing a further feed of carbid, when the weighted arm 16 willagain be raised, as above described. Thus the weighted arm 16 will beraised and lowered in more or less rapid succession, depending upon therate of consumption of the gas, and as the movement of this arm causesthe feed of the carbid the generation of gas will be in substantiallyexact proportion to its consumption.

In the upward movement of the arm 16, caused either by turning theValve-plug 33 or by the outward movement of the diaphragm, both as abovedescribed, the plug 21 will be raised by the rod 19 into engagement withthe lower open end of the tube 18 to close the same, and in the downwardmovement of the arm 16 said plug will be forced away from the end ofsaid tube to permit the fall of the carbid therethrough into thegenerator. When the tube 18 is closed by the plug 21, no moisture canpass up through said tube to the carbid, and in the event of the lampbeing overturned no water can reach the carbid, as the casing 17hermetically incloses the feed apparatus. This construction insures thatthere shall be no after generation when the flow of gas has been turnedoff at the burner, as no moisture can possibly reach the carbid, and theplug will also prevent any accidental fall of carbid into the generator,as will be apparent. As the tube 18 will be closed by the action of thediaphragm almost immediately after each discharge of carbid, verylittle, if any, gas will ever pass up through said tube into thecarbid-receptacle. It will be understood, of course, that after theapparatus has once been placed in operation by turning the valve-plug 33the slot 43 offers no resistance or obstruction to the free movement ofthe arm 16 under the action of the diaphragm 26. It will also beunderstood that when the gas is turned off at the burner the apparatuswill be securely locked against operation until the valve-plug is againturned to permit the weighted arm 16 to fall.

As shown in Fig. 5, should the weighted arm 16 from any cause fall tofar the projection will engage the under side of the arm 12 and lift itsshoulder 13 out of engagement with the stud 14, thereby permitting theweighted apron 11 to fall and securely close the feed-opening of thechute.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modification in the construction of the partsfor closing the tube 18. In this arrangement arubber sleeve 46 isslipped over the lower end of the tube 18, the lower end of said sleeveextending below the lower end of said tube and being inwardly beveled,as indicated at 47, to provide a seat for aball-valve 18.v The operationis the same as with the construction first described. The rubber tube orsleeve 46, however, can be more securely closed and with less pressurethan is the case with the metal tube 18. It will be obvious that themetaltube 18 may have its lower end beveled to, afford a valve-seat inthe same manner as the rubber sleeve 46, and a ball-valve could be usedin lieu of the conical plug 21.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1.Inanacetylene-gaslamp,incombination with a generating-chamber, acarbid-hopper and a feed apparatus therefor, comprising a hinged tiltingsupport, a burner, a valve in said burner, means operatively connectingthe said valve and support, whereby the support will be raised to andlocked in an inoperative position when the valve is turned off, andmeans actuated by variations in the pressure of the gas generated foroperating said support when the same is unlocked and thereby controllingthe supply of carbid to the gencrating-chamber.

2. In an acetylene-gas lamp, in combination with a generating-chamber, aburner-valve communicating with said chamber, a carbidhopper and a feedapparatus therefor, a connection between said apparatus and saidgenerating-chamber, means for opening and closing said connection, andmeans connecting said opening and closing means with the burner-valve,whereby when said valve is closed, the connection between the carbidfeedapparatus and the generating-chamber is also closed.

3. In an acetylene-gas lamp, in combination with a generating-chamber, aburner-valve, a carbid-h opper and a feed apparatus therefor, aconnection between said apparatus and said generating-chamber, means foropening and closing said connection, and means operatively connectingsaid valve and the feed apparatus and said opening and closing means,whereby to lock the feed apparatus in an inoperative position and toclose communication from the generating-chamber of the lamp to said feedapparatus when said valve is turned ofl.

4. In an acetylene-gas lamp, in combination with a generating-chamber, acarbid-hopper and a feed apparatus therefor, a connection between the'generating-chamber and said feed apparatus, a flexible diaphragmoperatively connected to said feed apparatus and exposed to thegas-pressure in the lamp, means for opening and closing said connection,and means connecting said opening and closing means with the diaphragm,whereby to close communication from the generating-chamber of the lampto the feed apparatus in the outward or expanding movement of thediaphragm.

5. In an acetylene-gas lamp, in combination with a burner-valve, a feedapparatus, a casing inclosing said feed apparatus and having an opening,a closing device for said opening, and means operatively connecting saidclosing device and valve, substantially as described.

6. In an acetylene-gas lamp, in combination with a generating-chamber, afeed apparatus, a casing inclosing said feed apparatus and having anopening communicating with said generating-chamber, a closing device forsaid opening,a flexible diaphragm operatively connected to said feedapparatus, and means operatively connecting said closing device anddiaphragm, whereby to close communication from the generating-chamber ofthe lamp to the feed apparatus in the outward or expanding movement ofthe diaphragm,substantially as described;

7. In an acetylene-gas lamp, in combination with a burner-valve, a feedapparatus, a casing inclosing said feed apparatus and having an opening,a closing device for said opening, a flexible diaphragm operativelyconnected to said feed apparatus, and means operatively connecting saidclosing device with said valve and said diaphragm, substantially asdescribed.

8. In an acetylene-gas lamp, a feed apparatus comprising a pivotedsupport having a weighted arm, a burner-valve, and a rod having a crankconnection with said burnervalve and a slotted connection with saidweighted arm, substantially as described.

9. In an acetylene-gas lamp, a feed apparatus comprising apivotedsupport having a weighted arm, a burner-valve, a rod having acrank connection with said burner-valve and a slotted connection withsaid weighted arm and a flexible diaphragm having an operativeconnection with said feed apparatus.

10. In an acetylene-gas lamp, a feed apparatus comprising a pivotedsupport having a weighted arm, a casing inclosingsaid feed apparatus andhaving an opening, a closing device for said opening, a burner-valve, arod having a crank connection with -said burnervalve and a slottedconnection with said weighted arm and a connection betweensaid weightedarm and said closing device.

11. In an acetylene-gas lamp, a feed appa-' ratus comprisinga pivotedsupport having a weighted arm, a casing inclosing said feed IIO 10weighted arm, a flexible diaphragm and a connection between saiddiaphragm and said crank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

THOMAS A. BRYAN.

Witnesses:

HOWARD R. PYLE, CHAS. L. SKINNER.

